House of Lords Reform

Lord Northbrook: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Chancellor on 8 January (WA 100) whether, in order to foster public debate, they will now publish those submissions made in response to The House of Lords: Completing the Reform (CM 5291) for which confidentiality has not been requested.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: As I undertook in my Written Answer of 8 January (WA 100), the Government will make all these responses available. I expect that we shall be in a position to do so shortly.

Safer Communities Initiative

Baroness Billingham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress has been made in implementing that Safer Communities Initiative, and what the amount is that each crime and disorder reduction partnership will receive.

Lord Rooker: The Safer Communities Initiative is conceived as a framework for providing crime and disorder reduction partnerships with funding to tackle crime and disorder in their area to meet national crime reduction targets and other local priorities.
	All 376 partnerships have been allocated a share of the £20 million available funding in 2002–03. The funding is allocated using a formula consisting of recorded crime (80 per cent) and an even share (20 per cent). Each partnership will receive at least the same amount of funding in 2003–04.
	My right honourable friend the Minister of State for the Home Department (Mr Denham) has today placed a paper showing the detailed allocations to each partnership, and more information regarding the initiative, in the Library. Guidance for the initiative will be placed on the crime reduction website (www.crimereduction.gov.uk) shortly.

Pakistan

Lord Vivian: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether an ams embargo is still imposed on Pakistan.

Baroness Amos: The UK has not imposed an arms embargo on Pakistan.
	All licence applications are considered on a case-by-case basis against the consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria and in light of the Government's statement on nuclear export control policies towards Pakistan as set out by my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ben Bradshaw, on 15 March 2002 (Official Report, col. 1296W).

Arms Exports

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 23 January (WA 206), what restrictions are now in force on exports of arms from the United Kingdom to:
	(a) the republics of central Asia; and
	(b) Indonesia.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: I refer the noble Lord to my Written Answer of 23 January (WA 206). There have been no changes in restrictions on strategic exports to these countries since 23 January.

Moldova

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether either the Council of Europe or the European Court of Human Rights have formally registered complaints by journalists and others against restrictions on freedom of expression by the Government of Moldova; and what consideration or procedures are pending.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The strike committee of the employees of the state company Teleradio-Moldova lodged an application on 25 March at the European Court of Human Rights complaining of censorship under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
	The Council of Europe is engaged in a dialogue with Moldova on the fulfilment of its accession obligations, including freedom of expression. On 4 February the Secretary General acted under Article 52 of the ECHR to request an explanation from Moldova on how its domestic laws ensure effective implementation of the convention, particularly with regard to Articles 9, 10 and 11 on freedom of thought, expression and association. Moldova's reply, delivered on 25 February, is currently under consideration.
	In addition, under the Committee of Ministers' thematic monitoring procedure, the subject of freedom of expression and information in Moldova and all other member states will be discussed in camera during April. The Secretary General also intends to send a secretariat mission to Moldova in mid-April.

Moldova

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What has been the response of the Government of Moldova to the recent resolution of the European Parliament calling on Moldova to respect human rights and democratic processes.

Baroness Amos: The Government of Moldova did not issue an official response to the European Parliament's resolution on the human rights situation in Moldova.

Gibraltar

Lord Fearn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What response they have made to the Gibraltar Government of the new constitution document recently approved by that government.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We understand that the Gibraltar House of Assembly Select Committe on Constitutional Reform has produced proposals. The Government of Gibraltar have not yet passed these to Her Majesty's Government. We will consider carefully any proposals we receive.

Biological Weapons Convention

Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they expect to publish the paper prepared by the Foreign Secretary in his speech at King's College, London, on 6 February detailing suggestions on how to strengthen the Biological Weapons Convention.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: In preparation for the reconvening of the 5th Review Conference on the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) on 11 November 2002, the Government will shortly present a government paper setting out their views on ways to counter the threat from biological weapons. It is proposed that the government paper be laid in the House later this month.

Kosovo

Baroness Williams of Crosby: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What machinery exists to audit the UNMIK (United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo) operations in Kosovo.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Board of Auditors, which reports directly to the Secretary-General, carries out regular annual audits of UNMIK finances. These audits include an examination of management procedures, as necessary. The independent Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions and the UN's Fifth (Finance) Committee will address the most recent audit report in May. The UN's Office of Internal Oversight has also had a resident investigations unit in UNMIK since August 2000 which carries out financial and management, as well as investigative and fraud related, audits of the mission.
	The UN Secretary-General reports quarterly to the UN Security Council on the situation in Kosovo, including on the activities and achievements of the mission. In addition, the head of mission (the Secretary-General's Special Representative) makes regular appearances before the council. The Security Council discusses developments in Kosovo approximately once per month.

European Art Market Report

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their response to the key findings of the European Fine Art Foundation survey The European Art Market in 2002 that the European Union as a whole has lost 7.2 per cent global share of market since 1998, that Europe's loss of global market share can largely be attributed to taxation and regulations and that the British share of the international art market has dropped from 30 per cent in 1999 to 25 per cent in 2001.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The European Art Market Foundation report, based on the sector in a EU-wide context, was produced as a tool for industry and we have no plans at present to respond.

Supermarkets and Suppliers

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In the light of the Competition Commission's finding that practices between the four major banks were adversely affecting small and medium-sized enterprises, whether they intend to review the workings of the code of practice on supermarkets' dealing with suppliers.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The code of practice came into force on 17 March 2002.
	The Director General of Fair Trading is responsible for monitoring and reviewing the operation of Fair Trade Act orders and undertakings and will keep the operation of the code under continuous review.
	His office has been in contact with relevant trade associations with a view to their assisting in the monitoring process. The code also provides for the independent dispute mediator to supply the director general with an annual return of his work.

Gas Industry Emergency Committee

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Sainsbury of Turville on 19 March (WA 133), whether the Gas Industry Emergency Committee is considering the implications of possible terrorist attacks, including potential disruption to gas supplies through the Bacton and St Fergus terminals.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Yes.

Gas Industry Emergency Committee

Lord Moynihan: asked her Majesty's Government:
	What is the membership of the Gas Industry Emergency Committee; and what are the terms of reference under which it operates.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The terms of reference of the Gas Industry Emergency Committee are: Contingency planning and preparations for handling a large-scale gas supply failure
	to provide expert industry-wide advice to the Government, regulators and civil authorities in their development of comprehensive, regularly-updated contingency plans (based on the Government's 'common architecture') for tackling a large-scale gas supply failure, the wider consequences of the state of emergency resulting from such a failure, and the safe restoration of supplies to individual consumers;
	specifically as regards those aspects of the contingency planning which entail the gas industry: to represent the gas industry in the development of appropriate governance arrangements, including the necessary memoranda of understanding; in reviewing, adapting and where necessary developing, the principles and any related protocols for dealing with the suspension of normal commercial arrangements and the consequent problems; and in devising the arrangements for dealing with all consumer-facing activities, communications and safety procedures (this latter, in consultation with energywatch and the HSE, and in close coordination with the other utilities, notably electricity);
	when these contingency plans have been prepared, to co-ordinate the programmes required to put the gas industry into a continuing state of readiness; and to this end, to promote a full understanding throughout the British gas industry of the responsibilities of the individual participants, so that collectively and individually they are ready and capable of playing their parts in contributing to the tackling of a large-scale gas supply failure;
	and in the same context, to co-ordinate the regular review and updating of the contingency plans and the state of readiness of the industry's participants, taking full account of changes in the structure of the industry and the addition or departure of individual companies; and to test this and identify any shortcomings through simulation exercises undertaken in conjunction with the relevant parts of Government, central and regional, and the Civil Authorities;
	to provide Transco and the Network Emergency Co-ordinator (resourced from Transco) with a forum for reviewing the procedures and priorities governing the reinstatement of gas supplies, having regard to the inter-relationships with electricity supplies, and to the trade-offs between the various threats to human life and safety in the state of emergency which would result from a large-scale gas supply failure. Mitigating the risk of a large-scale gas supply failure
	working with the DTI, HSE and Ofgem, to provide expert industry-wide advice on factors—including any new or emerging developments—that could lead to large-scale gas supply failures, the related risks, and possible measures for mitigating the risk of such failures. The Membership Is: The membership includes representatives from DTI, Ofgem, HSE, Transco, offshore producers, gas shippers and suppliers, independent gas transporters, consumers, National Grid Company, Scottish Grid and electricity generators.

Buckfastleigh: Broadband Services

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How they intend to link up the school, health centre, town hall and library in Buckfastleigh in Devon to broadband in the absence of any broadband infrastructure serving the town.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The UK Broadband Fund was set up to support innovative schemes to meet local requirements to see how we can ensure that as many people and businesses as possible across the UK have access to affordable broadband services.
	The South West of England Regional Development Agency put forward an action plan under this fund including a project in Buckfastleigh. The implementation will be taken forward by the agency.

Carbon Savings

Lord Hardy of Wath: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the estimates for the saving of carbon dioxide from the use of coal-mine methane and from wind power, both at the present time and at the end of the decade.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Carbon savings from individual renewable energy technologies and coal-mine methane are not available at present. There are no reliable figures of the amount of coal-mine methane vented at present upon which to base any estimates of emissions savings, although work on this has been contracted. It should be possible in future, once the renewables obligation is in place, to calculate the carbon savings by renewable energy as each renewable energy certificate will be assumed to have resulted in a saving of 0.12kg of carbon. The emissions savings resulting from coal-mine methane use are not as well defined, but for each kWh generated would be expected to be considerably higher.
	We have estimated that 10 per cent renewables electricity by 2010 will lead to around 2.5 million tonnes of carbon savings a year by 2010. We have no equivalent figure for coal-mine methane as it is not clear how far the industry would have developed by then.

Illegal Meat Import Checks

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many enforcement officers with responsibility for detection and interception of illegal imports of bushmeat and other illegal meat being carried by arriving passengers are currently employed at each of the three London airports; whether dogs are used in the detection of such meat; and whether these enforcement officers are employed in both red and green Customs channels.

Lord Whitty: The current breakdown of local authority enforcement staff undertaking checks on meat and food imports at the London airports is as follows:
	
		
			  Environmental Health Officers Official Veterinary Surgeons Support Staff 
			 Heathrow 10 3 10 
			 Gatwick 9 5 1 
			 Stansted 6 1 — 
		
	
	The majority of checks are undertaken on commercial consignments in the freight examination area.
	Targeted checks on passenger's baggage involving enforcement officers are supported by HM Customs officers and may be undertaken in both red and green Customs channels.
	Arrangements are being made to undertake a pilot study into the use of detector dogs in Great Britain to track down illegal imports of meat.

Rights of Way

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Answer by Lord Whitty on 18 December 2001 (HL Deb, col. 134) that "We expect to announce our intentions soon after the consultation on the draft maps in the first two mapping regions is complete in February next year", whether they have yet decided to open up open country and registered common land under Section 2 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 by way of commencement orders on a regional basis as and when the conclusive maps have been published for each region.

Lord Whitty: We are persuaded of the potential advantages to walkers of bringing the right of access into force on a regional basis but need to think further about the practical considerations in respect of, for example, managing access and ensuring that members of the public are properly informed of their rights and responsibilities. We are looking very carefully at this and will make an announcement when we have reached a decision.

Rights of Way

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will publish an analysis of responses to the consultation paper on the proposals on local access forums under Sections 94 and 95 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, which was published in July 2001 and for which consultation closed on 23 October 2001; and when they intend to issue the draft regulations which the Minister for Rural Affairs said on 20 November 2001 he expected to come into force "early next year" (HC Deb, col. 203W); and
	When they intend to publish an analysis of responses to the consultation paper on proposals for regulations on provisional and conclusive maps under Section 11 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, which was published on 19 November 2001 and for which consultation closed on 8 February 2002; and when they intend to issue draft regulations.

Lord Whitty: We expect to make regulations in respect of local access forums in May this year. Regulations in respect of provisional and conclusive maps, including appeals against provisional maps, are scheduled to be made in June. An analysis of the responses to each of the preceding consultation papers will be published when the regulations are made.

Rights of Way

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they intend to publish an analysis of responses to the consultation paper on proposals for regulations on draft guidance to local highway authorities on the preparation of the rights of way improvement plans, which was published on 21 December 2001 and for which comments were sought by 28 March 2002; and when they intend to issue draft regulations.

Lord Whitty: We envisage that final guidance, incorporating responses to the consultation paper, will be published in the summer, with a commencement order bringing into force Sections 60 to 62 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. We have no plans to make any regulations relating to this provision, but that is subject to the responses to consultation.

Used Tyres

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How they intend that used tyres and chipped tyres shall be disposed of when they are banned from landfill sites in 2003 and 2006 respectively.

Lord Whitty: Over 400,000 tonnes of used tyres are disposed of annually in the UK. Seventy per cent of these are already beneficially treated through a variety of processes rather than being sent to landfill. Examples include retreading, granulating the tyre for inclusion in sports and safety surfaces and the use of tyres as a substitute fuel. Capacity to treat used tyres continues to grow in anticipation of the forthcoming ban on their disposal to landfill.
	The Department of Trade and Industry has recently issued a discussion paper on a possible producer responsibility model to deal with used tyres, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Canals: Freight Traffic

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have for the use of the canals for freight as part of British Waterways recently announced regeneration initiative Unlocked and Unlimited.

Lord Whitty: The Government appointed the Freight Study Group in November 2000 to examine the scope for increasing freight traffic on the canals and other inland waterways of England and Wales. I am considering the group's report with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (David Jamieson) and will make an announcement in due course.

Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund

Baroness Gale: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How they intend to implement the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund.

Lord Whitty: Last year we consulted on proposals for funding work on minimising the demand for primary aggregates; promoting environmentally friendly aggregates extraction and transport; and reducing the local effects of aggregate extraction through the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund. Copies of the consultation document are available in the House of Commons Library.
	In response to the consultation we have decided to distribute the fund broadly in line with these proposals. However, we also will support with £800,000 per annum additional work under the category "reducing the local effects of aggregates extraction". This will be a local authority led pilot project run by Leicestershire, Somerset and Derbyshire County Councils—the three areas of greatest aggregates extraction.
	To ensure that existing programmes provide additionality, project criteria will state that projects will be additional to activity in existing programmes.

Mr Anthony Gerald Dickinson

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they consider that the police and the Crown Prosecution Service acted properly and promptly as regards releasing to his solicitor unused material from the prosecution of Mr Anthony Gerald Dickinson, now serving a long sentence in HM Prison Wakefield.

Lord Goldsmith: Mr Anthony Gerald Dickinson was unanimously convicted by a jury at Leeds Crown Court in June 1991 on two counts of murder. He received a sentence of life imprisonment.
	It is now some considerable time since the case was originally heard and many of the key participants in the original investigation and prosecution have retired or left their respective organisations rendering specific detailed inquiry as to detailed case handling issues impracticable.
	So far as can be ascertained, the solicitors representing Mr Dickinson at that time were provided with full disclosure, prior to the trial, of all relevant material arising in the case to enable the proper conduct of the defence on Mr Dickinson's behalf.
	Following Mr Dickinson's conviction, his application for leave to appeal against that conviction was considered and rejected by the Court of Appeal.
	The Home Office was also asked to consider the case and it commissioned two further police investigations into the background of the case.
	In addition to this, the case has been considered by the Criminal Cases Review Commission and has been the subject of proceedings before the High Court.
	These procedures have not resulted in the case being referred back to the Court of Appeal for its further consideration as to whether the conviction was unsafe.
	From the information available it can be ascertained that the Crown Prosecution Service and the police have, throughout each of these reviews, co-operated fully with the appropriate authority considering the case when they have been requested to do so, and it appears that the Crown Prosecution Service has ensured that the relevant material has been available to allow a comprehensive review of the evidence to take place.
	There is no information on the Crown Prosecution Service's files to suggest that it or the police have done otherwise than to act properly and promptly in the release to Mr Dickinson's solicitor of unused or any other material where it has been appropriate to do so.
	Throughout this case the conduct of the police and the Crown Prosecution Service has been the subject of regular and intense scrutiny at each stage of the review process.

London Courts: Discontinued Proceedings

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the most recent figures (total and percentage) for the number of cases in the London magistrates' courts and London youth courts in which no evidence had been offered by the Crown Prosecution Service; and how many and what percentage of those are cases in which no evidence has been offered after an adjournment has been refused.

Lord Goldsmith: Proceedings were discontinued in respect of 15,514 defendants in London magistrates' courts and youth courts during the period 1 April to 31 December 2001, representing 12.7 per cent of completed cases; 12,227 of these were dropped at court before evidence was heard (10 per cent of completed cases) and 3,287 (2.7 per cent) were discontinued in advance of the hearing. These figures represent cases referred to the CPS following charges made by the police.
	The 12,227 cases dropped in court included 372 cases where the defence produced documents showing the defendant's innocence at court. In these cases, the prosecution had no opportunity of discontinuing proceedings before the hearing.
	Information on those cases discontinued at court due to no evidence being offered or as a result of an adjournment being refused is not collated centrally. This information could only be captured by inspection of the actual case files, which would incur disproportionate costs.

CPS London

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the shortfall in the London Area Crown Prosecution Service of in-house lawyers; and how many have been recruited in the last six months.

Lord Goldsmith: Each CPS area has a budget allocated to it each year to meet its basic running costs needs, excluding accommodation costs. Its use is not prescribed and areas are empowered to apportion the budget between staffing and other costs in accordance with their judgment of local circumstances.
	As at 31 March 2002, there were 290 lawyers in post within CPS London. In the previous six months, 50 lawyers have been recruited. A further 15 lawyers have confirmed start dates between April and August 2002.
	From 1 April 2002 an injection of an additional £6.8 million will enable CPS London to employ more staff. By the end of March 2003, the area hopes to have a total of 358 lawyers in post. CPS London is currently 51 lawyers below this target figure.
	In order to fill these posts the area will move to a campaign of continuous recruitment resulting in candidates having to wait no longer than six weeks to hear the outcome of their application. In order to attract a wider range of better qualified prosecutors, steps are in hand to revitalise the advertisements that CPS London uses.

CPS London

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the current daily and half daily rates for independent advocates representing the Crown Prosecution Service in the London magistrates' courts and London youth courts; and how that compares with the average brief fee in the Crown Court.

Lord Goldsmith: The rates paid to independent barrister agents in London are subject to a central agreement with the Bar Council that is applied nationally. The rates paid to solicitor agents are agreed locally and can vary both across and within CPS areas. The rates paid to agents are the same for both magistrates' and youth courts.
	The fees paid to barristers under the existing agreement for sessional work in the magistrates' court are £112 for a half-day session and £175 for a full-day session, plus an additional uplift of £25 when the advocate is engaged to prosecute a heavy court, namely a remand court with 25 or more cases or 40 or more defendants.
	Occasionally, an advocate will be engaged to prosecute a specific case in the magistrates' court, e.g. a lengthy summary trial, and a special fee will be negotiated for that individual case which will sit outside the sessional rates.
	The average brief fee paid to junior counsel in the Crown Court during the period October to December 2001 (the latest period available) was £365.90. Crown Court rates are higher because of the increased level of experience and expertise required to prosecute the more serious, lengthy and demanding cases before a judge and jury in the Crown Court.
	The CPS introduced a graduated fee scheme for most Crown Court cases committed or sent for trial after 29 October 2001. The scheme has replaced the current brief fee arrangements and will remunerate external advocates at broadly the same level as legally aided defence advocates.

CPS London

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the daily rates for independent advocates representing the Crown Prosecution Service in the London magistrates' courts and London youth courts were last reviewed; what the previous rates were; and whether they were higher or lower than those which are currently paid.

Lord Goldsmith: The rates paid to independent advocates appearing for the CPS to undertake sessional work in the magistrates' court and the youth court in London are negotiated centrally with the Bar, while the rates paid to solicitor advocates are agreed locally and can vary. Similar arrangements apply across the rest of England and Wales.
	The rates paid to barristers under the central agreement were last revised in April 1992. The rate for a half-day session was increased from £109 to £112 and the rate for a full-day session increased from £172 to £175. An additional uplift of £25 payable for heavy courts (remand courts with either 25 or more cases or 40 or more defendants) remained unchanged.
	The CPS is presently engaged in a review of the current rates, precipitated by a recent request from the Bar Council.

Familial Hyperlipidaemia

Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What research they have recently sponsored, or are aware of, into familial hyperlipidaemia.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The main government agency for research into the causes of and treatments for disease is the Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives its funding via the Department of Trade and Industry. The MRC Clinical Sciences Centre currently has two groups whose research is directly relevant to familial hyperlipidaemias (inherited metabolic disorders). They are the Molecular Medicine Group, led by Professor James Scott, and the Lipoprotein Team, led by Drs A K Soutar and B L Knight. The MRC's relevant expenditure for 2000–01 is estmated at £871,000. This figure does not include other research that may be relevant to these disorders but not specifically looking at them.
	In addition, the MRC always welcomes high quality applications for support into any aspect of human health. These are judged in open competition with other demands on funding. Awards are made according to their scientific quality and importance to human health.
	The Department of Health funds research to support policy and the delivery of effective practice in health and social care. The department does not currently fund any research focusing specifically on familial hyperlipidaemia but it funds research projects that may have some relevance to this condition. Current research projects include two prospective cohort studies on risk factors for cardiovascular disease, both of which include blood lipid levels, and a systematic review of the long-term outcomes of the treatments for obesity and implications for health improvement and the economic consequences for the National Health Service.
	Recently completed research projects include those on cost-effectiveness of screening for hypercholesterolaemia versus case finding for familial hypercholesterolaemia and cost-effectiveness of the statins.
	In addition to specific projects, the Department of Health provides NHS support funding for research commissioned by the research councils and charities that take place in the NHS. Details of ongoing and recently completed research projects funded by, or of interest to, the NHS are available on the National Research Register (NRR at www.doh.gov.uk/research. The NRR currently shows five ongoing and eight completed projects relating to familial hyperlipidaemia.

NHS-funded Nursing Care

Baroness Greengross: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have to ensure that older people entitled to receive free nursing care in a nursing home actually receive the payment due to them.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: In implementing NHS-funded nursing care, the National Health Service is ensuring that people's needs are properly assessed and that nursing homes receive an appropriate level of funding for their care by registered nurses. As a result, most people are experiencing reduced fees. Where this has not been the case, the Minister for Community Care announced a number of measures on 11 March. These were the issue of a national core contract for use by the NHS and nursing homes to ensure clarity on funding issues; a proposed amendment to Regulation 5 of the Care Home Regulations 2001 to require care homes to provide a breakdown of fees; and the National Care Standards Commission to ensure that the national minimum standards regarding contracts are enforced. Similarly, in Wales, the National Assembly Government will seek to ensure that the fee structures in care homes and lines of funding accountability are clearly defined.

Birth Defects

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assessment they have made of the increase in the number of babies who are born with disabilities; and what factors have caused this.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Office for National Statistics National Congenital Anomaly System collects information on live born babies and stillbirths with congenital anomalies, primarily to detect changes in the frequency of reporting of congenital anomalies rather than to estimate exact prevalence at birth. Over the last 10 years there have been both increases and decreases in the numbers and rates of selected conditions. Despite the success of introducing folic acid as a dietary supplement in pregnancy to reduce the incidence of Spina Bifida, our understanding of the causative agents for all these conditions is incomplete and efforts to further a better understanding will continue.

Birth Defects

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What data they have collected on the impact of the use of recreational drugs by young mothers and an increase in oestrogen-like substances in the diet as contributory factors in the rise in birth defects.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The data requested are not collected centrally.

Haemophilia

Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they expect to be able to respond to the Question for Written Answer tabled by Lord Morris of Manchester on 7 February (HL2781) following answers by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 6 February (HL Deb, cols. 629—630) concerning recombinant treatment for people with haemophilia.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: I replied to my noble friend's Question on 21 March at col. WA 175.

National Service Framework for Long-Term Conditions

Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will prepare national service frameworks for the treatment of long-term medical conditions, including the control of chronic pain.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: In February 2001 my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health announced a National Service Framework for Long-term Conditions, with a particular focus on the needs of people with neurological conditions. It will also draw out some of the commonalities in the experience of patients with long-term conditions in using health and social services. The department expects to announce more details about the scope of the NSF later this year.

NHS: Data Quality

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they propose to take any action in response to the Audit Commission's management paper Data Remember-improving quality of patient based information systems.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Department of Health welcomes the Audit Commission management paper, Data Remember, as it reflects joint work by the department, Audit Commission and Commission for Health Improvement to improve the quality of National Health Service performance data.
	While the ultimate responsibility for data quality lies within the trusts themselves, we are already working with the Audit Commission, Commission for Health Improvement, the Modernisation Agency and the NHS Information Authority better to understand and build upon the results of the report. This includes identifying what can be learned from the findings of the report, improving national performance management of data quality, providing support and guidance to trusts and assuring data quality through accreditation and audit.

NHS Prescribing Budgets

Lord Smith of Leigh: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the extent of overspending on National Health Service prescribing budgets for 2001–02 by region; and what factors have caused this overspending.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The following table sets out the prescribing budgets notified to the Prescription Payment Authority by each regional office. The forecasts are based on prescribing data up to and including January 2002 data.
	
		
			 Region 2001–02 Budget £ 2001–02 Forecast Outturn £ Estimated Overspend % 
			 Eastern 545,768,187 593,207,432 8.69 
			 London 666,212,093 703,050,751 5.53 
			 North West 781,108,913 858,061,781 9.85 
			 Northern &  Yorks 705,871,356 755,266,274 6.99 
			 South East 860,125,542 929,845,669 8.10 
			 South West 513,113,427 546,477,057 6.50 
			 Trent 544,133,472 593,951,721 9.15 
			 West Midlands 563,711,831 603,821,485 7.11 
		
	
	These forecasts are based on practice level prescribing budgets and as such do not necessarily reflect the total resource set aside locally for prescribing as primary care trusts, primary care groups and health authorities may hold contingency reserves. A range of factors, for example national service frameworks, newly licensed drugs and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence recommendations, affects growth in prescribing expenditure.

Ageing Process: Biochemical Action of Supplements

The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In the light of the results of the research by B. Ames et al pubished in the National Academy of Sciences United Stress in February, which found that treatment of rats with N-acetyl-L-carntinine and lipoic acid reversed the ageing process, whether these two products can be prescribed for patients suffering oxidative stress-related illnesses, including myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome, Gulf War illnesses and fibromyalgia.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: No. The researchers, led by Dr Bruce Ames, of the University of California at Berkeley, gave a combination of acetyl-L-carntinine and alpha-lipoic acid to rats the age of which was the equivalent of humans in their seventies. He estimated that the effect on the rats was the equivalent of making a 75 to 80 year-old human act middle aged.
	These two chemicals occur naturally in the human body and both are available in health food shops. Acetyl-L-carntinine is sold as an energy booster and alpha-lipoic acid as an antioxidant with anti-ageing properties.
	Studies were conducted into the biochemical action of the supplements comparing the behaviour of old and young rats and testing the memory of the animals fed the compounds. Results were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
	This treatment has not yet been shown to be either safe or effective in humans. The fact that these chemicals occur naturally does not mean that they are safe when given in large doses, and nor does it mean that the combination is effective.
	The combination has been patented and further studies are being conducted. In due course, marketing authorisation could be sought from the Medicines Control Agency in the United Kingdom. But until the quality, safety and efficacy of a medicinal form of these chemicals has been established, doctors will not be able to prescribe them, except on a named patient basis, with the manufacturer providing supplies. Doctors do this in the knowledge that they bear the full legal and clinical responsibility for the patient's condition in relation to that treatment.

The Historic Environment

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress they have made with their plans to work with the Learning and Skills Council in order to ensure that some centres of vocational excellence could specialise in skills relevant to the historic environment.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: We have been exploring with the Learning and Skills Council how some planned centres of vocational excellence could specialise in skills relevant to the historic environment. The skills that are particularly needed in this area are those relating to construction and tourism for restoring, maintaining and promoting access to the historic environment.
	The Learning and Skills Council has made an impressive start in addressing employers' needs in these skills areas. It established, in July 2001, 16 pathfinder centres of vocational excellence. One of these focuses on construction skills.
	The Learning and Skills Council also announced in March 2002 some 70 additional centres of vocational excellence that will form the first main roll-out phase of the programme. Ten of these will specialise in construction and four in tourism.
	In addition, the Learning and Skills Council has identified construction as a priority skills area for centres of vocational excellence to address in the future. We can expect to see further centres meeting the needs of the historic environment as the programme is rolled out fully over the coming two years.

The Historic Environment

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will publish the consultation paper covering the range of options to be considered for the expansion of the sites and monuments records system.

Baroness Blackstone: We are discussing implementation of our policy statement, The Historic Environment: A Force for Our Future, which covers this issue, with English Heritage and others. We will publish an implementation plan shortly.

The Historic Environment

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress they have made with their plans to work with English Heritage and other historic environment bodies to establish an annual historic environment week; and
	What progress they have made in working with English Heritage to establish an historic attraction advisory unit in order to draw together best practice and advice from across the historic environment sector on marketing, visitor management, customer care and conservation.

Baroness Blackstone: We are discussing implementation of our policy statement, The Historic Environment: A Force for Our Future, with English Heritage and others, including these action points. We will publish an implementation plan in the Spring.

Royal Parks Agency

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What procedures must be adopted in order that the status of the Royal Parks Agency may be changed to that of a non-departmental public body by the target date of April 2002.

Baroness Blackstone: The target date for establishing the Royal Parks Agency as a non-departmental public body is now 1 October 2002. Her Majesty The Queen will be asked to approve in Council a Royal Charter establishing the Royal Parks as a trust. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport will then agree a contract with the new body to carry out its responsibilities under the Crown Lands Act 1851. This will require the approval of both Houses of Parliament of an order under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994.

Sport

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their response to the research, Boom or Bust? Voluntary Sport in Peril, published on 26 March by the Central Council of Physical Recreation.

Baroness Blackstone: The results of the Central Council of Physical Recreation's recent research are a useful contribution to the debate about the general financial health of sport at the local, amateur level. The report makes a case for a measure of relief to local clubs but the survey on which it was based did not ask clubs to express opinions about how such relief should best be delivered.

Works of Art: Temporary Export Licences

Lord Freyberg: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the maximum length of time for which a temporary export licence for works of art can be issued.

Baroness Blackstone: There is no prescribed limit to the period for which a cultural object may be the subject of a licence for temporary export.

Benin Plaques

Lord Freyberg: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why the British Museum sold approximately 30 pieces of Benin bronze in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.

Baroness Blackstone: Under its governing statute, the Board of Trustees of the British Museum may dispose of objects from its collections in very limited circumstances, eg where they are duplicates. It is a matter for the trustees to take decisions about such disposals.
	The sale of some Benin plaques from the British Museum to the Lagos Museum in 1950 was part of a dedicated attempt to help Nigeria to establish a museum service. The plaques sold were then considered to be duplicates of items already held by the British Museum. Ten were sold to Nigeria directly. Another, smaller, number were sold via dealers to affirm the price before a further 14 were sold to Nigeria.

Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman

Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What has been the cost of each of the reports prepared by the Office of the Police Ombudsman in Northern Ireland since it came into existence.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Police Ombudsman advises that around 90 reports have been submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Policing Board and the Chief Constable since her office was established. It would be disproportionate in cost terms to extract the information necessary to cost each of these reports.

Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman

Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many persons have been arrested at the initiative of the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Police Ombudsman advises that to date 17 persons have been arrested in the course of her work.

Northern Ireland: Terrorist Amnesty

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Belfast Agreement of 1998 contained the suggestion of an amnesty for all terrorists; and, if so, in which part it did so.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: At the Weston Park talks last summer both the British and Irish Governments accepted that there was an issue to be addressed with the completion of the early release scheme about supporters of organisations now on ceasefire against whom there are outstanding prosecutions, and in some cases extradition proceedings, for offences committed before 10 April 1998. Such people would, if convicted, stand to benefit from the early release scheme. The Government have undertaken to take steps to resolve the issue.

Northern Ireland: Victim Support

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the recommendation of the Victims Commissioner (Sir Kenneth Bloomfield) that a senior official should be designated to take immediate responsibility for a better co-ordinated approach to the problems of victims within government has been implemented; and, if so, what progress there has been.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: On publication of Sir Kenneth Bloomfield's Report We Will Remember Them in April 1998, Adam Ingram MP was appointed as Victims Minister and the Victims Liaison Unit was established to take forward the recommendations contained within the report.
	Des Browne, who took over as Victims Minister in July 2001, has built on the close links established by Adam Ingram with the Ministers in the devolved administration. A co-ordinated approach will ensure the most effective support to victims of the Troubles.

Northern Ireland: Victim Support

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the recommendation of the Victims Commissioner (Sir Kenneth Bloomfield) that the recommendations of the SSI-led study on Living with the Trauma of the Troubles should be energetically implemented by those interests to which they are dedicated has been implemented; and, if so, what progress there has been.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Northern Ireland Executive has taken the lead on the implementation of this recommendation.

Northern Ireland: Victim Support

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the recommendation of the Victims Commissioner (Sir Kenneth Bloomfield) that victims should be given the best comprehensive advice, locally differentiated, on where to turn for support has been implemented; and if so, what progress there has been.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety took the lead in carrying this recommendation forward. Each regional health and social services board established a trauma advisory panel, representative of the range of professionals and voluntary organisations working with people affected by the Troubles. Officials from the Victims Liaison Unit attended the initial meetings of each panel, but responsibility for the continued implementation of the recommendation rests with the devolved government.

Northern Ireland: Victim Support

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the recommendation of the Victims Commissioner (Sir Kenneth Bloomfield) that victims must, as the barest minimum, be as well served as former prisoners in terms of their rehabilitation and future employment has been implemented; and, if so, what progress there has been.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Northern Ireland Office was responsible for the management of funding to ex-prisoners and victims groups under Measures 4.4 and 4.6 of the EU Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (Peace I).
	Victims and ex-prisoners have received the following amounts under both measures:
	Ex-prisoners = £4.3 million
	Victims = £2.8 million
	When the programme was first introduced in 1995, the European Commission's (EC) aim was to use the funding to reinforce progress towards a peaceful and stable society and to promote reconciliation. Measure 4 of that programme was designed to promote social inclusion of those who were at the margins of social and economic life. Specifically, Measures 4.4 and 4.6 were aimed at both ex-prisoners and victims groups as the EC considered that it was particularly appropriate to support these groups in order to achieve the objectives. In the event, many more projects were put forward by ex-prisoners grups than by victims groups and therefore the majority of this funding was allocated to ex-prisoners.
	In the main, this funding has been used to provide training and development officers and counselling services for ex-prisoners and their families. Victims groups were also successful in securing funding from these measures for similiar projects. However, victims of the Troubles have access to other support in addition to the £2.8 million awarded under Peace I.
	Since 1998, government has committed over £18.25 million to support victims of the Troubles, funding a number of initiatives including:
	£700k for a Family Trauma Centre which provides therapeutic service addressing the psychological needs of families and young people.
	£300k for an Educational Bursary Pilot Scheme—for individuals whose education was directly affected by the Troubles: 350 people received awards.
	£3 million to the Northern Ireland Memorial Fund, with a commitment of a further £2 million at a rate of £1 million per year for the next two years. The fund has put in place a number of schemes including: the Small Grants Scheme, the Chronic Pain Management Scheme, the Respite Break Scheme, the Wheelchair Assessment Scheme, the Amputee Assessment Scheme, and the Education and Training Scheme.
	£225k for a Victims Support Grants Scheme (now closed) to assist community groups and voluntary organisations to take forward recommendations in the Bloomfield report; and more recently a further £750,000 to extend this small grants scheme.
	£6.1 million core funding for groups who support victims of the Troubles.
	£500k for initiatives in Great Britain, including £250k for the Legacy Project. This project aims to identify and meet the needs of victims of the Troubles living in Great Britain.
	£1.5 million over the next three years for the development of the Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma and Transformation.
	£1.5 million over the next two years to the devolved administation's Strategy Implementation Fund to help Northern Ireland departments fulfil their commitments to addressing victims' needs.
	In addition, Peace II, which is administered by the devolved administration, contains a specific measure for victims with funding of approximately £6.67 million, targeted mainly at re-training and re-employment. This specific targeting at victim and victims' groups means that they will not be competing with others for this money.

Northern Ireland: Victim Support

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the recommendation of the Victims Commissioner (Sir Kenneth Bloomfield) that the code of practice for victims of crime should be conscientiously observed and critically monitored has been implemented; and, if so, what progress there has been.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: Criminal Justice agencies such as the Police, Northern Ireland Court Service and the Compensation Agency have given a commitment in charter statements to providing services to victims. The performance of these commitments, which have been incorporated in the code of practice, has been monitored against the standards set out in the code. A revised version of the code has recently been made available, including information on the new arrangements for getting compensation.

Northern Ireland: Victim Support

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the recommendation of the Victims Commissioner (Sir Kenneth Bloomfield) that the Government should not overlook the special claims of communities uprooted from their homes and farms has been implemented; and, if so, what progress there has been.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: Government, in consultation with the Devolved Administration, have examined how this recommendation might be taken forward and a number of avenues have been explored.
	After careful consideration, government have concluded that the schemes which are currently available for victims and victims groups probably offer the best way forward for the members of such communities and others who have been similarly affected.

Northern Ireland: Terrorist Prisoners

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many terrorist prisoners have (a) escaped from prison since 1970 and were not recaptured to complete their sentences; and (b) escaped from police custody before conviction.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The information the noble Lord has requested is as follows: Terrorist escapes since 1970 HMP Belfast 1971, 12 prisoners escaped (two escapes); of these five were recaptured. HMP Maidstone 1972, seven detainees escaped; all of these were recaptured. HMP Maze 1974, 13 prisoners escaped (two escapes); all of these were recaptured. 1976, nine prisoners escaped; of these five were recaptured. 1978, one prisoner escaped and he was killed while UAL. 1983, 38 prisoners escaped; of these 24 were recaptured (19 almost immediately), seven were in the USA or Republic of Ireland, three were killed while unlawfully at large and four are unlawfully at large. HMP Magilligan 1975, one prisoner escaped and was recaptured. Cumulative totals From 1970 to the present there have been 81 terrorist escapees; of these 55 have been recaptured.

Northern Ireland: Terrorist Prisoners

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the legislation that governs terrorist prisoner releases since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement; and how many prisoners have benefited from it.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The early release of prisoners convicted of scheduled offences committed before 10 April 1998 is governed by the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998. To date (10 April 2002) 445 individuals have benefited from the scheme.

Northern Ireland: Terrorist Prisoners

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will give a breakdown of the number of terrorist prisoners and their paramilitary alignment in HM Prison Maghaberry and HM Prison Magilligan.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: Information is held in relation to the perceived paramilitary association of prisoners, where applicable, for management purposes. It should be noted that this information is based on a combination of factors including the offence, sympathies and associates.
	
		Perceived paramilitary affiliations of prisoners as at 27 March 2002.
		
			  HMP Maghaberry HMP Magilligan 
			 Provisional IRA 18 9 
			 Irish National Liberation Army 8 4 
			 Irish Republican Socialist Army 1 0 
			 Irish Peoples Liberation Organisation 2 0 
			 Real IRA 19 1 
			 Continuity IRA 3 1 
			 Ulster Freedom Fighters/Ulster Defence  Association 34 23 
			 Ulster Volunteer Force 30 17 
			 Loyalist Volunteer Force 19 1 
			 Red Hand Commando 2 3 
			 Red Hand Defenders 2 0